2019 Begins with Goodness

Wow, just changing over from 2018 to 2019 has proved noticeable. 2018 was enlightening. I learned many new farm things, new life lessons and new coping skills for hanging on to life in fast motion. 2019? I look forward to seeing what God has planned, and what direction life leads myself, and those around me. The physical motion of taking down the 2018 calendar, and placing the new, crisp 2019 calendar up gives me a sense of wiping a slate clean, and getting to pick new life choices, while reminiscing about the milestones. It reminds me of an etch-a-sketch. I enjoy creating the picture, enjoying the picture, and now I'll shake it, and make a new one. All the pictures are good, some better than others.
Now that I've settled into a different type of nursing career, I've left the Operating Room behind and moved to Triage Nursing. It took years to become comfortable with all the elements in the OR, and this is no different. Time, I need time to learn the multitude of things needed to do this job well. And Lauren is doing the same thing. She's growing her knowledge on public library life. There's so many moving parts to it, and I really have no idea the depth of it, until I talk to her about it all. Frisco Public Library offers so many things to the public. Who knew!?
David is soaring forward with a new art studio (aka fancy shed). He's got his own space to nurture and create, paint and color, glue and hammer, and use that amazing imagination to any extent he so desires. I think he's most excited that it's a separate space, with a key to the door, that he can stash all his artistic belongs in one location. Plus all his "things" I try to get him to rehome. Collectables, he might say. He'll have a special place for it all. My 'Goodbye, Things' tendencies have not struck a chord with him, although I'll give him full credit  for recognizing that this as an option in life now. His closet is his museum, and his new studio shed will likely house his nearest and dearest things soon.
Warning: subject change. And can you believe it's been 2 1/2 months since Whisper's surgery!? At the 3 month mark, we are looking to set her free back to the pasture. Her leg should be healed and ready to be used more. She's missed her brother, Levi, whose taken all the responsibility for the sheep. He's done an amazing job, and deserves a bit of a break. They will be so glad to be back together again. Whisper has been penned in a large area where she has access to go in and out of a portion of the barn - all her own. This keeps her from running and re-injuring herself. Conveniently, the new guard pups have been living in there with her during the day. At night, the pups go out in the pasture with Levi for the night. He's showing them what to do. Soon, we hope to divide the front pasture with a new fence that will allow each brother/sister to take a portion of the pasture to guard. The sheep will stay with Levi (and Whisper). We are doing this in hopes of keeping Levi and Whisper's aging bodies strong. They take their job very seriously, and Dixie and Davis can step in and take a portion of the pasture to patrol. With sheep, chickens, barn cats and small dogs, they are all tasty treats for the coyotes, foxes, and bob cats - not to mention the mischievous raccoons and stinky possums. When the predators come out at night, it's our guard dogs that keep everyone as safe as possible. I feel like I can never repay them enough. We do make sure they eat well, and have a warm spot in the barn on those cold, cold nights - in between patroling the parameter.
Not all predators come around at night. Last weekend, we had a hawk incident with one of our chickens. This is not the first time it's happened, but I will say the chickens usually know and sense the hawks above - most of the time. They instinctively seek shelter under a tree or back in the barn. Levi will bark at them, at times, when they get close, too. But now and then, that hawk is really hungry and invades our scared space - and intrudes upon a helpless chicken. It's awful. The circle of life is tough - and necessary. But I just get so upset every time it's happened. It's like my insides cry,  that this cruel way of dying has to happen. Death is never easy. But sometimes, it makes me realize those that die a horrific death, or a tortured death is harder to manage - than that of a natural cause. Something about it just hurts my heart and I fret inside terribly about it. The people in life that have these types of deaths happen to family/loved ones is incomprehensible. Something people never get over, I can only imagine.
Down that rabbit hole, I went. Whew. Now, I climbed back out of the death spiral, and will focus on happy happenings. Good news! Grace is completely weaned from the bottle. She's such a sweet girl, and loves to be loved. Clara, her twin who did get her mama's milk, watches Grace and wonders what all that love is about. She comes close to feel it, sense it and see what's so special about these humans. She wants to smell us, and it's all on her terms. That's okay, Clara. You'll learn to love us more, now that mama (Eve) has no more milk for you. We have treats! They are 3 months now. They still stay close to their mama, but overall, the 5 of them have become more of a herd together. Belle has mothered LuLu impeccably. LuLu is two weeks younger than the twins, and is shy, kind and gentle-natured - just like Belle. They are just alike in most every way. Except LuLu gets all her love from her mama. Belle gets her love from David and I (technically, we are the only mama she's ever known). LuLu watches us closely. Look, but don't touch - is her motto. Over all, the sheep are doing amazing. They each have their own distinctive personality, their own baa sounds, and really stick together and are always in tune with the other. Guess that's why they're a herd. I have a lot to learn from them.
As this cold February approaches, I know March is just behind it. It's taken a couple of winters to get our $*@# together in regards to heated water buckets, plenty of straw for bedding, and (yes, we buckled this year) with the new lambs and pups we put out a couple of heat lamps in the barn. We said we would never put heat lamps in the barn. We were wrong, when we said that. Lambs and young guard pups need that extra little something something to help keep them regulated from the 20's and 30 degree temps. And for the donkeys, they have a new barn of their own, as we converted their run-in shed to a more closed quarters facility, with a rubber mat flooring. If all the animals are comfortable, I sleep better at night. If I'm going to be responsible for these creatures, I try to do my best. I do readily acknowledge that our farm animals have a pretty good gig (and I may or may not have been told that they are all spoiled), but they do all give back and have a job, We have very few, if ever, any rodents, snakes and predators. (Thank you barn cats, guard dogs, and territorial donkeys) We get fresh eggs every day, and all the love anyone could ever want. Plus 24/7 outdoor entertainment. It may be stinky sometimes, muddy, messy and crazy around here. I absolutely love it.
So 2019, here we come. Here on a little piece of land God has granted us, we keep moving forward and enjoy the little things. The sweet baa of LuLu, the chickens following me around, our barn cat palooza and every single thing on LECR (Little Elm Creek Rd - longest address we've ever had) that feeds my soul. Life out here is where I belong.

Happy New 2019,
Cyndi